The Life and Love of Colin Creevey
by snapealways7
Summary: This is Colin Creevey's entire life story, beginning before he attends Hogwarts. It will include romance, family and friend issues, the good times and the bad in the life of one very brave boy.
1. The Final Split

**Chapter 1 – The Final Split**

A small boy sat on the blue, carpeted stairs of his home in the coastline town of Fowey, Cornwall. The boy had a mop of mousey hair and his brown eyes seemed far too big for his face. Though he was a naturally excitable person his behaviour was far from it at this moment in time, as he listened to the screaming voices erupting from the kitchen.

"We are not having your parents over again. All they do is sit and talk about plants or their latest piece of furniture. It drives me mad and we end up wasting a whole day just listening to their waffle when we could be spending it with the kids," Brian Creevey hissed.

"You can't tell me who I can and can't have over," his wife, Sophia retorted, scathingly, "This is just as much my house as it is yours."

Brian scoffed, "Not really, who is it that pays for it? Me, that's who."

"We both do," Sophia said through gritted teeth.

"You earn nothing compared to me and I don't even earn that much," her husband challenged.

"Yes but at least I earn something and do you know where most of it has to go? To help my dying sister, that's where. And do you know why I can't get a better job? Because I have to go to the hospital and see her every single afternoon, watching her get steadily worse. So don't you _dare_ mock me like I just sit on my arse all day!"

Sophia screamed the last part and, moments afterwards, Colin heard his mother drop something made of china on the tiled floor, the crash reverberating through the house. The noise caused his little brother, Dennis, to rush out of their shared bedroom, a stricken look on his face.

"What was that, Colin?"

"Mummy just had an accident I think. It's alright, you carry on making that house and I'll be back in a minute."

This was what his evenings generally consisted of recently. Rather than playing games or watching television with his parents and brother like any other eleven year old would, he juggled his time, spending some of it occupying Dennis and the rest crouching on the stairs listening desperately to his parents arguing. They did it most nights. Either that or they didn't really talk to each other at all. Anyhow, Colin took his place on the seventh step each evening without fail because he had to make sure that his parents didn't utter the one phrase that he was terrified of hearing.

* * *

><p>That Sunday had begun in exactly the same way as any other. Colin had woken up as his dad had opened the curtains in his and Dennis' room, revealing a dull, grey morning, despite the fact that it was July. The rain could not seem to decide whether it wanted to stay or go and the result was that light sort of drizzle that annoyed everyone. Colin was not bothered, however as he waited excitedly for his father to announce what they were doing that day, for Sundays were the only days that Brian Creevey did not have to leave for work at the crack of dawn. He was a milkman, you see and all his customers were adamant that they received their fresh milk in time for breakfast so he always had to leave by half past five but Sundays were his day off.<p>

"So I was thinking we should go and try your new go-kart in the park, Dennis. How about that?" His father smiled warmly at the two boys. Brian Creevey was of medium height and had the same deep brown eyes as two sons but his hair was black and naturally fell in tight curls so he cut it very short, meaning his forehead was high and his bushy eyebrows very prominent.

"Yeah, cool!" exclaimed Dennis, already jumping out of bed, eagerly.

Dennis had received the go-kart for his ninth birthday during the week and had been dying to try it out. In fact he hadn't stopped talking about it.

"And, Colin you can have a go on it but I'm going first," he told his brother for the thousandth time. Colin simply nodded, pretending he hadn't heard it before and followed his bouncing brother downstairs for breakfast.

* * *

><p>The three boys had had a wonderful day, speeding around on the go-kart, getting lunch in the town and strolling along the sparse beach. Dennis had insisted on paddling in the sea but, inevitably a huge wave had crept up behind him and knocked his tiny frame over. At the time he had thought it was hilarious, as he sat on the wet sand, the salty water sloshing up over his legs but after coming out and allowing the strong coastline wind to reach him he had begun to shiver uncontrollably and Brian had insisted then that they leave.<p>

The trio returned home to the delicious smell of roast chicken. It had always been Colin's favourite food because it reminded him greatly of home and family, especially when his mother cooked it.

"Mum it was fantastic!" Colin gushed, as excited as his younger brother who was now running around the steaming kitchen, making car noises, "You should've come. Why didn't you?"

An uneasy look spread over his mother's usually kind features at his question and he felt his father turn away from them, muttering about a phone call he had to make.

"Oh…I was busy doing work, love. I wish I could've come though, that go-kart sounds like great fun. Next time maybe," she tried to make her smile genuine but Colin was old enough to know she was lying just to please him. What worried him was why.

* * *

><p>After diner he had promised to play Lego with Dennis and had proceeded up to their room. Not even ten minutes had gone by, however, when the familiar barks of anger reached his ears. Dennis used to question them but stopped after a while when Colin continued to tell him that all mummy's and daddy's argued. He knew that wasn't the truth but he couldn't explain what was really happening between his parents. Not when he was so unsure himself.<p>

Colin had then taken his place on the stairs, where he sat now.

"-and all I get when I come home is your whining and nagging. It drives me insane,"

"Well maybe you shouldn't come home then!" Sophia told him, a harsh tone to her voice.

"Maybe I shouldn't," Brian echoed, "To be honest I don't know why we're doing this anymore."

"For the kids, Brian. We've already discussed this,"

"But what's the point if all Colin and Dennis hear is our shouting? They can't grow up like that, thinking it's the norm in relationships."

Colin didn't like how their voices had suddenly become quiet and hushed, as though all whispers of hope had been swept away from them. He preferred their angry cries because all that was left was pain, confusion and fear.

"What do we do then?" his mother asked, helplessly.

Brian was silent for a moment and Colin could imagine him furrowing his bushy eyebrows as he thought how to answer, "Maybe…I don't know. I've been thinking a lot lately and I maybe we should ermmm…"

"God Brian, spit it out will you!" Sophia demanded, frustrated.

"I think we should separate."

There were the words that hit him like he had been physically knocked over the head with a wooden bat. The words that he feared above everything else because he knew what they meant. His parents were going to get a divorce. This is exactly what his friend, Tommy's parents had done before splitting up – quarrelled constantly before everything had ended one night.

"I still see both mum and dad but it's just not the same as all of us living together," Tommy had explained to him, in earnest.

Colin wandered if all couples separated in the end. Maybe that's just how it is.

* * *

><p>Both of Colin's parents had sat him and Dennis down that evening to tell them. Dennis shifted about on the burgundy material sofa in the Creevey's living room, not really understanding what was happening. He registered that his father was leaving but kept demanding to know the day he was coming home. Colin watched as his mother and father tried, desperately to tell him that he wasn't returning but that he would still see him every Sunday.<p>

"But why?" Dennis asked.

A single tear escaped Sophia's blue-grey eyes and she wiped it away defiantly as she answered, "Because it's the best thing, Dennis, love. Mummy and Daddy don't want to live together anymore but we still want to see you and Colin."

Colin could tell his mother was working her hardest to prevent herself from breaking down in front of her children because her voice faltered slightly as she spoke. She ran a shaking hand through her long, wavy, mouse-brown hair and looked from Brian to Colin, desperately. It was this that brought Colin to his senses and he felt his eyes prickle slightly. Standing up abruptly, he beckoned for Dennis to follow him back upstairs, promising to carry on playing with him. In truth it was an excuse to leave the icily tense room.

He reached their bedroom just in time because, as the tears spilled over his cheeks, dripping onto his green cotton t-shirt he felt a strange surge of something run through his body and the next moment a glass of water on his bed side table had begun shaking violently. It gave one almighty shudder and shattered into a million pieces, spraying half the room with glass. He prayed his parents hadn't heard it.

Rather than burst into tears or run screaming from the room, Dennis merely said, "Awesome," and dropped onto the floor to continue playing with his Lego, as though glasses shattering of their own accord was a common occurrence. Perhaps it was because things like this happened to him too.

Colin didn't understand why or how he and his brother could do these things but knew that it wasn't just coincidence that caused these miracles to happen around them. Whenever he felt a strong surge of emotion like anger or fear he would cause accidents or strange, unexplainable things to occur and he had been able to do it since before he could remember. Initially he had believed he was the different one, he was the one with the strange condition. But when Dennis was about four years old Colin had walked into the garden to see a string of delicate daisies flying around his brother's head and the tiny boy chuckling appreciatively to himself. Now he had come to the conclusion that this extraordinary power was something genetic. He only hoped that one day soon he would find out what it meant.

* * *

><p>An hour or two later, after putting Dennis to bed, he entered the kitchen to see his father standing with a box-shaped suit case and a large, lumpy back-pack.<p>

"So I'll come back to get the rest of my stuff as soon as I can find a permanent place," he told Sophia, turning towards the door and noticing his son.

"You're going already?" Colin asked, weakly.

He nodded, regret clouding his features, "I'm sorry, Colin, I know this isn't easy for you. I mean it's all you've known, having us both around but I know you're gonna be fine and you're gonna help your mum and stuff aren't you?"

It was Colin's turn to nod, as he watched his dad wheel the suitcase through the narrow corridor and open the front door.

"Can't you just stay another night?" he queried, in desperation, "I just don't want you to go yet."

Brian left his suitcase on the topmost stone step, leading up to the house and rushed back to his son, bending to hug him, "I had a brilliant day today, honestly. Maybe I'll buy a go-kart too when I get a new home of my own, then you and Dennis can have one there. And on Tuesday, you're both coming to have tea with me. I'm staying at grandma's house for now, so I'm not far away. I'll see you soon, son. Have a good couple of days."

He kissed Colin, briefly on the forehead and continued to his car, an old silver Toyota. Colin watched his dad drive off, his mum behind him the whole time with a comforting hand on his shoulder. He waved and smiled slightly but all the while he wished his dad didn't have to go.


	2. A Bad Reaction

**Hi guys! Here is chapter two in Colin's story. I know it's giving things away but just wanted to let you know he finds out he is a wizard in chapter 3 in case you were wandering when. I put this chapter in because it shows more of Colin's personality and his relationship with his mum. Also that the divorce was a big deal for him. Let me know what you think.**

**Lucy x**

_**"I don't go looking for trouble. Trouble usually finds me."**_** – Harry Potter**

Chapter 2 – A Bad Reaction

Colin had always quite liked school. Not so much for the lessons, which he often found tedious, but for the atmosphere. He was the sort of person who loathed being alone and so the crowded classrooms and bustling corridors made him feel safe and content. Consequently he should have been cherishing every moment of his final week before the summer holidays (especially as some of his close friends were going to a different secondary school to him) but he just could not get his dad's sudden departure out of his head. This was the reason he lay sprawled under the feathery willow tree, fiddling absently with the thick strands of grass, rather than joining his friends in their game of Frisbee.

He pulled his camera out of his squashy back-pack, which had acquired several large holes over the years. He placed it round his neck, feeling its comforting weight and smiling in spite of himself. Photography was the one thing he just knew he had a great gift for, which was why his camera came with him everywhere. You never knew when a photograph opportunity would arise, even in school.

As he focused the lens on a tiny ladybird, which crawled over a delicately patterned leaf he heard pounding footsteps and looked up before snapping the picture. His friend, Peter Stella was running towards him, somewhat red in the face from chasing after the Frisbee.

"Come on Colin, you can't sit there on your own forever. It's the last day of term, come and play," Peter pleaded.

"I don't really feel like it, I'm happy watching," Colin returned, trying and failing to sound indifferent.

"Oh but it's so much better with you. Remember that time you dived to catch it and landed in fox poo, that was hilarious," Peter pointed at the Frisbee as he said it.

Colin merely shrugged, unable to think of an answer and so Peter took the opportunity to continue.

"I know your dad's left home but he's not far away and your still gonna see him. It's not that different really, is it?"

Colin answered automatically, cross with his friend for suggesting such a thing, "Yes it is different. It's horrible!"

Peter looked taken aback. Colin never snapped at his friends, he always spoke calmly at them, even if he didn't like what they said. Peter recovered quickly, however, and persisted, not being one to give up. His tone was lighter now.

"Why not just play, it'll take your mind off things. Plus, it might be our last game together for a while."

Colin narrowed his eyebrows, confused before it dawned on him what his friend was talking about. Peter was moving to the New Forest during the summer holidays for good and he had completely forgotten about it, having been furiously wrapped up in his family problems. A few weeks ago he would have insisted that he spend every waking minute with his nursery school friend but, casting his mind back over the blurry days he had hardly said a word to him. He glanced at Peter, who was watching closely for his reaction, no doubt hoping that Colin would have a change of heart. Most of his classmates had long given up on trying to help Colin feel better, bored of his constant moping but Peter had persevered and he was very grateful for it. This tall, skinny, copper-haired boy had made him realise how immature he was being. It was true that sitting around feeling sorry for himself wasn't helping anyone. He decided to try and have a fun afternoon, seeing as they never had lessons on the last day of school. Getting hastily to his feet he pushed his parents' separation to the back of his mind and turned to Peter, a willing grin spreading across his face.

"Then let's make it a good one!"

"So why did your dad leave Colin? Did he hate your mum? Maybe but it's probably more because he hated you. I bet he couldn't stand living with you. I couldn't if it was me."

Jack Hovington, stood in front of Colin, his mouth twisted into a sneer, his beady eyes narrowed like slits. He was flanked by a few laughing boys and together they created an intimidating picture. Colin had always tried to ignore his bullying ways but this time he had had enough.

"Shut up Jack," his eyes flashed angrily and the words escaped him in hiss.

"Oooooo touched a nerve did I? What are you gonna do, hit me?"

As Jack uttered the words Colin felt the familiar odd feeling surge through his shaking body. He had forgotten that the best part of his school year surrounded him – he had eyes only for the smirking eleven year old who was laughing openly at him, blissfully unaware of what was in store for him.

A branch from a nearby tree seemed to snap off completely of its own accord seeing as the air held no wind. It floated a short way to where Jack stood, hovered above him for a moment and suddenly crashed down onto his head, knocking the boy to the floor. The entire crowd seemed to gasp in unison and a few girls let out high-pitched screams. Colin was distantly aware of a teacher hurrying towards the scene but he didn't care. He continued to stare at the Jack, who was now curled on the ground his eyes watering and his bottom lip quivering.

The teacher had light, bobbed hair and friendly eyes, which held worry in them as she swept passed two girls who gripped each other's hands, a mixture of bewilderment and fright on their faces. Colin realised it was his form teacher, Mrs. Lady who approached.

"What's happening Colin?" her tone wasn't scolding but rather confused.

"I – I don't know," Colin lied, focusing on a rock protruding from the ground, "A branch just fell off that tree and hit him on the head." He pointed to Jack, who was beginning to regain the colour in his cheeks, his mean eyes narrowing once more.

"How on earth could a branch from all the way over there have hit him on the head. You didn't throw it at him did you? I know what he can be like Colin but violence isn't the answer," Mrs Lady said the last part in a whisper so that only Colin could hear and he almost felt like smiling despite the bad situation he was in. Mrs Lady was his favourite teacher. She had always seemed to understand the students unlike the others.

He shook his head urgently, promising that he didn't, "No. Honestly I have no idea what happened. The branch must've blown over here or something," he suddenly became very aware of the lack of wind that day.

"He's lying. He did it. He made it happen," Jack was back on his feet and was now pointing a thick finger at Colin's chest, an ugly look on his face.

"What do you mean he _made_ it happen? Jack you're talking nonsense."

"No, no, I swear. I don't know how but he did something. I promise you," Jack didn't sound like his tough self as he tried to explain, in frustration, what he had just witnessed.

"Its true Mrs Lady, he did it," one of the two girls holding hands had spoken and she glanced at Colin with uncertainty, as though she feared he would do something to hurt her now that she had told on him.

"Yeah, he's a freak!" Someone else in the crowd shouted to murmurs of agreement.

Colin scanned the throng of people for his friends. They stood in a tight huddle around where the Frisbee had last landed and were watching him like everyone else. Colin's heart sank as he saw that they too held alarmed expressions, as though he was some kind of dangerous, supernatural being and definitely not the friend they had grown up with for years. The only two people who regarded him like he was still human were Peter and Mrs Lady but this didn't bring very much comfort to him, seeing as he would hardly ever see either of them after the term had ended. Word would soon get out that he was a "freak" and then he would have no friends at his next school. The school he had so been looking forward to attending because it meant leaving people like Jack Hovington behind. He sighed, anger at himself exploding out of him. How could he have let this happen? How could he have lost control like that?

The rest of the day passed in a blur of staring faces and contemptuous whispers. Mrs Lady had not punished him, refusing to believe he had made a branch fly but the reactions of his fellow students were far worse than cleaning up the lunch hall. When he had tried to sit next to his friend, Kyle in the end of term assembly the boy had simply got up and walked away without so much as a word. Peter was the only one who had stuck with him and by the end of the day people had started calling him "the freak's sidekick". Colin tried to persuade Peter to leave him and save himself the pointless name-calling but he refused.

"I'm not gonna stop being friends with you just cause everyone else has. I know you're not a freak Col. And besides I'm going away from here soon so I couldn't care less what people think," he told Colin, matter-of-factly as they boarded the school bus and selected the front most seats that were always left empty.

"Kay. Um thanks for this, Peter," Colin said, awkwardly.

"No problem."

When they reached the stop for Fowey, Colin ambled off the bus, waving his goodbyes to Peter and promising to meet up with him before he moved. He arrived home ten minutes later to find his mother waiting for him in the hallway. She had a stern look about her and swished her cascading waves behind her shoulder as she opened her mouth.

"I got a call from the school today, saying a boy was found hurt after you were arguing with him."

"I've already told everyone a million times, I didn't do anything," Colin retorted, defensively.

His mother persisted, ignoring his comment, "It's a bit of a coincidence that you were arguing and then he _suddenly_ got hit in the head."

"Well I'm telling the truth, believe whatever you want," he carried on, his tone grumpy. Striding past his mother he descended the stairs and shut himself in his room, leaving Sophia alone with her thoughts once more.

Sophia Creevey had always been a determined and vivacious type of person, at her happiest when bossing people around but always meaning well whilst doing it. Since her husband had left, her lively spirit seemed to have floated out of her, gradually seeped away and left an empty shell behind that was her body. She was still very much alive but she wasn't living. She still went about her daily life, going to work, looking after her two boys but her mind was always elsewhere. She had tried

desperately to hide the fact from her children, not wanting them to worry but she feared Colin had noticed her change in attitude and was upset by it.

As she watched her eldest son's back disappearing upstairs she realised that it was time to snap out of this state. Her husband had left and he wasn't coming back but she knew it was the best way. All they had done was snap at each other or sit in silence over meals and that wasn't what marriage was supposed to be. Holding onto that thought she decided to follow Colin up to his bedroom and apologise somehow for her recent behaviour.

Just as Colin had flopped onto his soft, patchwork quilt and opened an old family photo album he heard a knock at the door and instinctively said, "Come in."

His mum poked her head round the door and shuffled into the room, coming to a halt at the end of the bed. Her expression was somewhat guilty but as she spoke he was glad to hear some of the bossiness back in her voice.

"Come on, I think we should go for a drive."

The two of them used to go for drives all the time. When they had a spare half hour they would simply hop into the car and drive round the dainty Cornish villages looking for their dream houses. Colin always picked the grand manor houses and Sophia the pretty little cottages which were surround by an overgrown garden. The habit had started when Colin was a baby, when driving was the only thing that would make him fall asleep but it was still something he loved to do and he agreed without a second thought.

They drove and chatted for at least an hour, as the rain pounded down on the roof of the car, the sound distinctly comforting. Colin told his mother about his desire to enter a photography competition and she mentioned her idea of having a surprise party for his grandmother's seventieth birthday. The time sped past and Colin somehow forgot about the disastrous events of that day as he listened to his mother's voice.

As they made their way back towards Fowey Colin noticed a peculiar-looking family of four strolling along the pavement. They were all dressed in extremely odd clothes. The middle-aged man had on a pair of spotted pyjama trousers, a chocolate – coloured shirt and braces which stretched over his bulging stomach. The woman, who must have been his wife, wore a pair of denim dungarees and a gentleman's top hat over her rich auburn hair. The teenage boy was dressed in stripy shorts which came down to his knees and a suit blazer with the done-up buttons hiding his bare chest and finally the girl, who looked about his age, wore a sequined dress, long grey socks and a blue frilly bonnet. She also carried with her a broomstick, with bent bristles sticking out in all directions. The girl turned towards him and he saw that she had inherited the auburn hair from her mother. He couldn't see the colour of her eyes but he noticed that they were quite close together and rimmed with thick lashes. Her lips were slightly parted in awe as she watched their long blue BMW drive passed.

Colin was about to point out the odd sight to his mother but the group disappeared swiftly down a narrow side street and so he asked instead if he could invite Peter over for tea sometime during the next week, which she agreed to immediately. They spent the rest of the journey in silence, just happy to be in one another's company.


	3. Eternal Change

**Hi to everyone! I was excited about writing this chapter so hope you like reading it, thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far and sorry for the gap between chapters, I was off on holiday.**

**Oh and I forgot in the previous chapters to put a disclaimer in. I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters, objects or ideas – they belong to the absolutely spectacular J.K. Rowling.**

**Lucy x**

"_**It is important to remember that we all have magic inside of us" **_**– JK Rowling, 1995**

"_**Life is beautiful but it's complicated we barely make it. We don't need to understand there are miracles, miracles"**_** A lyric from the song **_**Life Is Beautiful**_** by the band Vega 4 – it just really reminded me of what happens to Colin in this chapter and I can't stop listening to the song at the moment, it's literally on repeat whenever I listen to my IPod. I really recommend it, it's lovely!**

Chapter 3 – Eternal Change

Colin sat around the cramped table in his grandmother's kitchen along with his father and brother. They were slurping up long strands of spaghetti in between their chatter (which was mainly Dennis talking whilst the other two listened). Spending their usual Sunday together had been fun – the three of them had gone to the zoo where Dennis had fed his entire ham sandwich to some scavenging monkeys – but Colin continued to worry about the unfortunate incident that had happened a week ago, on his final day of school. There were still feverous whisperings about him which spread, like a contagious disease around town and he wished that it would all stop.

"…and wasn't it just wicked when the big one just took it from my hand, just like that. He wasn't even scared of me. Can we go to the zoo again dad? Oh please can we?" Dennis gushed.

As Brian Creevey opened his mouth to reply the house phone rang ferociously, appearing to shake the entire kitchen and causing everyone to start in surprise.

"I'll get it!" Brian called, directing his voice out of the open door to the living room where Colin's grandmother sat watching the news.

He rushed to where the old, plastic phone sat on the wooden counter and picked it up, asking who was speaking. Colin couldn't hear the voice on the other end of the line but he guessed that it was his mother as soon as his father answered.

"I don't want to bring them yet; I've promised we'd watch James Bond together. I'll get them back by eight though," he vowed.

Sophia Creevey obviously argued otherwise because Brian asked what was so important that the two Creevey boys had to be home immediately.

"What do you mean Colin has a visitor? If it's one of his friends I'm sure he won't mind waiting til tomorrow to see them will you Colin?" his father turned to him and Colin nodded in agreement.

The bickering dragged on, Sophia insisting that she had no idea who the man was or why he was standing in her hallway but that he was refusing to leave until he spoke to Colin. Finally Brian sighed, giving in.

"Alright, fine, we'll finish tea and come straight away but it better be important. I only see them once a week and I don't want our time cut any shorter," Brian said, defiantly and slammed the phone down before Sophia had a chance to reply.

Colin entered his home half an hour later and scanned the corridor for the supposed man that awaited his arrival. At first he saw no-one but his mother, standing with her floral patterned apron still on, her long hair piled on top of her head but at the sound of a faint coughing his eyes darted towards the stairs. On the bottom step sat a man, not quite dwarf sized but tinnier than any grown male he had ever laid eyes upon. He had a shock of bright white hair, which stuck out at odd angles, like a ball of fluffy candyfloss had been placed upon his head. He had a long face ending in a pointed chin and the scattered wrinkles suggested he was fairly old. The man had shocking violet eyes but a definite kindness was nestled behind them. Smiling slightly he stood up, making a hardly noticeable difference to his height.

"Good evening, Colin," the man squeaked, "I am Professor Flitwick"

He glanced at his parents quickly and saw his own surprise and confusion reflected on their faces. He wandered how this peculiar professor knew his name but decided to answer politely anyway, "H-hello Professor."

The professor seemed satisfied with his answer and went on in his mouse-like voice, "Now I understand that this is all jolly strange for you but I'm afraid it won't get any better. I have something very important to talk to you about," his kind eyes then left Colin and turned to his parents, who were still standing by the open door, incredulous expressions on their faces, "and Mr and Mrs Creevey I am terribly sorry for intruding on your Sunday evening but I promise I wouldn't be here if it weren't essential."

Sophia appeared to be unable to speak so it was Brian who took action and beckoned for the group to congregate in the living room. As the others went ahead Brian bent down to Dennis who had been staring, transfixed at the professor for the entire time, apparently in complete awe of him. He told his youngest son, softly, to go and play upstairs then followed everyone into the warm lounge.

Colin watched his parents take either end of the burgundy sofa, sitting stiffly as though the cushions had painful spikes protruding from them. The professor however, bounced up to the spacious arm chair by the open fireplace and fell back into it, wriggling around to get comfortable, as though he was in his own home. Altogether the image created was quite comical; the minute man drowned in the huge chair, his feet dangling high above the carpeted floor. Everyone seemed to be waiting for him to sit down and so he snuck in between his parents on the sofa, needing to fill the vast gap that spanned between them as the professor placed his hands on his pointed knees, preparing to speak.

"Now Colin I have a letter for you here," the professor began, pulling out an envelope which was thick and made of yellowish paper, "and I want you to read it – it…it's going to seem completely unhinged to you but I know you'll persevere if I tell you it will mean everything to you in time."

For the first time the man seemed slightly awkward and uncertain as he spoke, as though he was telling Colin something of an extremely delicate nature and he cared greatly about how Colin would feel about this letter. It made him take the stained parchment from the professor eagerly and glance at the address written in emerald green ink.

_Mr C. Creevey_

_The Old Burgundy Sofa_

_25 Tinkers Hill_

_Fowey_

_Cornwall_

How very odd. Why would someone put the sofa he was sat on in an address? More to the point how on earth did the sender know that he had a burgundy sofa and was sitting on it at that precise moment? Trying to shake the questions out of his head, he opened the heavy envelope and pulled out the first letter inside.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr Creevey,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Colin's brain began whirring, as though a tiny wheel rested inside it and the peculiar words he read had finally given it enough power to begin spinning. These words made no sense and yet something told him that this was not a joke. He looked up as his father began talking, apparently having read the letter over his son's shoulder.

"Very good, a wizards school…really. What next, a football team for ghosts?" he laughed, good-spiritedly.

"Well I'm not sure but I believe there may be some sort of sport for ghosts – not errrr feetball but something that involves the ghosts blowing feathers through a goal – they can't pick objects up you see, it would just go straight through them," the professor gushed.

The three Creevey's stared at him, blankly, as though he had been talking in a foreign language the whole time and the professor adopted and apologetic expression, realising his mistake.

"Oh sorry I'm waffling…"

"I don't understand – witches and wizards aren't real. Why is this Pigwarts a school for witches and wizards? Is that just a fancy name or something?" Colin interrupted, unable to keep the questions from pouring out of him.

"Its Hogwarts, my dear boy and no it isn't just a name. It is the only school in the country for witches and wizards, which is why you have a place." The professor informed him, cheerily.

"But…" Colin protested, beginning to get irritated with the man. Why was he telling such an obvious lie? He had made Colin believe he held fantastic news. News that would make everything better. Instead he had come to tell Colin about a made up wizard's school.

The man softened his tones and asked, "Tell me, have you ever made anything extraordinary happen when you were perhaps angry or scared or even overjoyed?"

Colin's breath suddenly quickened and he felt his heart slamming into his ribcage. How did this man know his secret? He felt himself look into the warm violet eyes, where understanding and gentleness lay and allowed the memories which he had tried to forget to come flooding back to him. It was Christmas day and he was so happy that he caused a dainty robin to land on his shoulder and sit there for hours. He was six years old and had lost his mother in the supermarket, the result being an entire isle of soup cans bursting open, doing a little dance in the air and smashing onto the floor, the contents spilling everywhere. A kid on a beach in Wales had repeatedly thrown a Frisbee at his head and ended up being chased by a scuttling group of crabs until he ran into the sea fully clothed.

"You're a wizard, Colin," the professor told him, matter-of-factly.

He opened his mouth ready to tell the man outright that certainly wasn't a… a _wizard_ but a mechanism inside him fired into life and stopped him. He had been searching for answers to his strange powers for his whole life. Here it was. A part of him said that it was all a joke but something stronger screamed that this was more real than anything else had ever been. He let a miniscule smile erupt on his lips and the man nodded back, understanding that Colin finally accepted who he really was…

"This is absurd. Could you leave now please," Brian Creevey began rising from his seat.

Colin grabbed his father's arm, exclaiming, "No, dad. I have lots more questions!"

"Don't be silly Colin, this man is just joking – forgive me Mr, you were funny at first but we have things to do now, we're busy," his father said, trying to remain polite.

"He isn't joking," Colin replied, "I can make things happen. Haven't you heard all the rumours about what happened to Jack Hovington? Well they aren't rumours they are completely true."

"Oh, Colin, don't blame yourself for a branch falling on someone's head. If anyone deserved it, it was him. He's a bully, just like his dad," his father seemed to be reliving a painful memory as he squinted into the distance at nothing in particular.

"Dad, come on just listen for a while longer," Colin pleaded.

Sophia spoke for the first time since they had arrived home, "Let him stay, Brian."

Brian looked as though he wanted to argue but gave a disgruntled nod and sat back down, narrowing his eyes at the professor, who had begun to rummage around in the strange bronze-coloured cloak he was wearing. Colin watched as he pulled out a long, wooden stick which was a dark brown in colour with a faint hint of violet to match the man's eyes.

"I know it isn't the normal procedure but errrm, I'm sure it won't matter. Of course it won't," he mumbled to himself and Colin strained to hear him, not having the slightest clue what he was talking about.

"I'd like to show you some basic magic, so you can see what you will be learning at Hogwarts," the professor said.

"M…Magic? We learn magic?" Colin stuttered.

"Well yes my dear boy, what else would you do at a school for witches and wizards," he answered, heartily.

"Now this spell is one you will learn in Charms, which is my own class, more or less straight away. It's quite simple, you just have to get the movement right, the swish and flick," he had adopted a teacher-like tone. In one smooth movement he flounced the stick upwards and flicked it down whilst stating, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Colin watched, dumbfounded as the box of chocolates which had been sitting on the mantel piece rose into the air and floated towards him, landing neatly in his lap.

"My goodness," Sophia expressed, before letting out a small laugh, "This is amazing. Colin will be able to do this if he comes to your school?" she directed the question at the professor.

"Of course, amongst many many other things."

Colin felt a wave of his old excitement rush cleanly over him and turned to his mother to see her beaming hugely.

"Wow, this is amazing isn't it?" he said and she nodded enthusiastically as he turned to his father, repeating the question, "Isn't it dad?"

Brian Creevey had always been a sceptical sort of person, refusing to believe in things such as ghosts or aliens and so when this odd man had turned up declaring that his son was a wizard and that he had a place at a school of magic he had automatically concluded that it was all a big joke. But now, after watching his box of half-eaten chocolates float across the room unaided something was changing within him. He still couldn't get his head around everything that the professor was suggesting but he had to believe that it was true. As he regarded his son he recognised some of his old traits returning to him; excitable, restless and a little annoying but whole-heartedly happy. He would sooner eat a box of fat slugs than banish that excitement and so he grinned back at Colin, pulling him into a close hug and replying.

"It's fantastic, son."

**The next chapter continues with Professor Flitwick telling Colin about the wizarding world, I just didn't want to make this chapter too long. Thanks again to everyone for reading!**

**Also hope you like the tiny bits I've done in the points of view of Brian and Sophia over the last two chapters, it just helps develop their characters. **


	4. An Undiscovered World

**I felt that I should split up the chapters about Colin discovering the wizarding world as didn't want them to be too long but didn't want to miss anything out! Hope you like Professor Flitwick, I'd love to develop him more in future chapters as he wasn't that big in Harry Potter. I know I say it every time but thanks again for reading!**

**Also I forgot to say this before but I got the idea for my title **_**"The Life and Love of Colin Creevey"**_** from **_**"The Life and Lies Of Albus Dumbledore" **_**in Deathly Hallows**_**.**_

**Lucy x**

"_**Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." -**___**Albus Dumbledore**

"_**Believe in love. Believe in magic. Hell, believe in Santa Clause. Believe in others. Believe in yourself. Believe in your dreams. If you don't, who will?"**_**– Jon Bon Jovi. I'm just a bit of a sucker for quotes and love this one and thought it's quite appropriate! I may be putting more random ones in as well as Harry Potter ones from now on.**

Chapter 4 – An Undiscovered World

"So, Colin, you must have some questions for me. What would you like to know?" Professor Flitwick asked the boy who sat opposite him, still overwhelmed at the thing that he had just discovered; he was a wizard.

Colin felt the queries pour into his head, each seeming to be more important than the last and he knew his exasperation was reflected in his expression because the professor regarded him with sympathy. In the end he replied with a simple, "Everything."

The professor launched into details about Hogwarts and Colin hung onto his every word, oblivious to the sky's gradual darkening outside and the clock ticking on. He discovered that there were all different types of lessons in which he would learn how to make potions, do spells, deal with magical plants and even how to fly. The professor told him about the four houses and about the points he could win or lose for his house during the year. He learnt about owl post, the school ghosts and a game called Quidditch. Apparently he was allowed to bring an animal to school – an owl, a cat or a toad. All his food was made for him by creatures called house elves and there was a devilish poltergeist called Peeves who threw dungbombs at passers-by. It appeared that wizards never used cars to travel, preferring broomsticks, magic carpets or by doing something called Apparition. He learnt that there was even a Ministry of Magic, based in London, where thousands of witches and wizards found jobs after leaving Hogwarts. Above everything else, however, he was desperate to meet the head teacher, Albus Dumbledore, who sounded like a true hero.

"So will I see him on my first day of school?" Colin enquired, his brown eyes huge with anticipation.

The professor chuckled at Colin's elation and he watched as both of his parents rolled their eyes simultaneously, as they had always done when Colin's excitement got the better of him. For a fraction of a second it was as if they were an ordinary family on an ordinary Sunday night, sat on the sofa and enjoying the peace before the working week began.

"Most definitely," the professor replied, "Albus is always at the start of term feast to welcome everyone." The man spoke about Dumbledore with warmth and Colin wandered if the two of them were good friends.

"Oh and there are two very important rules in the wizarding world," he began after a pause in the conversation. "Firstly you cannot let muggles see magic…"

Colin cut the professor off, "Muggles?"

"Non-magic people. Obviously your parents are exceptions because of you but anyhow you will not be able to show them what you learn for some time as the second rule applies only to those underage. Until the age of 17 you are not allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts. If you break these rules I am afraid the only resort is expulsion from school," the professor informed him, seriously.

"But I already have!" Colin burst out, terrified, "Loads of times when I've been angry and stuff, like you said."

"Ah, don't worry about that, my dear boy. The rule doesn't apply to young witches and wizards as they are unable to harness their powers yet. But as soon as you start school…"

Colin nodded, a little disappointed that he wouldn't be able to do the chocolate box trick for his parents. He recovered quickly, however, remembering the bulky envelope that he still held.

"What else is in here?" he enquired, curious.

The professor squinted at the envelope for a moment, before responding "Oh yes that is your list of equipment for school."

Colin pulled out the piece of paper and scanned it quickly.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Uniform

_First-year students will require:_

_Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_One plain pointed hate (black) for day wear_

_One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags_

Set Books

_All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History or Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart

Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart

Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart

Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart

Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart

Other Equipment

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set of glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope _

_1 set brass scales_

_Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad_

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS_

He blinked several times, making sure he wasn't reading the list wrong – pointed hats, strange named books and…a wand.

"Where am I supposed to get a wand from or… a cauldron?" he burst out suddenly.

"Well now, every single thing on that list can be found in Diagon Alley."

"What Alley?" Colin spluttered.

"Diagon Alley," the professor repeated, "It is an all-magic street in London, only accessible to magic folk of course. But don't worry," he regarded Sophia and Brian in turn, "muggles can still enter as long as a witch or wizard opens the entrance for them. Now I will have to show you where the entrance is…"

He stood up, pulling what looked like an ordinary map from his cloak and opening it awkwardly. He turned it around several times, trying to find which way up was correct, his eyes narrowed in frustration, "Now how in the name of Merlin do these things work?"

Brian immediately got up to aid the man, spreading the map out on the mahogany coffee table and the professor smiled in thanks. The men worked together, bending close over the map and talking like they were old friends. Colin was glad to see his father's mood improving and the absence of his scrutinizing eyes when he looked at the professor.

As the pair discussed street names and various directions he sunk back into his mother's embrace and she took the letter from his slack grip, beginning to read over it.

"My!" she blurted out all of a sudden, "Who is this Gilderoy Lockhart? Is he famous? He's certainly written a lot if books."

At the mention of the name a look of distaste spread across the professor's face, like he had eaten something terribly sour, "Oh him. He is the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. I have only met him once but he is rather… well he is shall we say…" the professor seemed reluctant to say what he thought of this Gilderoy Lockhart but Sophia nodded, knowingly, getting the gist of what he meant.

When Brian seemed wholly satisfied with where to go to reach Diagon Alley the professor checked a large golden pocket watch which appeared to have about ten different hands and announced that he ought to leave. Brian held the living room door open for him and the group gathered in the narrow hallway, his mother switching the light on as the room was now engulfed in darkness.

"So Colin," the professor started, smiling up at him, "one last thing. When you reach the pub, the Leaky Cauldron, for the entrance to Diagon Alley you will be able to see it perfectly normally but to your parents it will look like a dump site, with danger signs hanging all over it. We have to take these precautions otherwise muggles would wander in left, right and centre but don't worry, just go on in and everything will be fine. Once you're in there you will have to find someone to open the entrance of the alley for you. With any luck they'll be plenty of Hogwarts students there already who are shopping themselves. Just don't go up to any hags they aren't always the friendliest and certainly don't bother a vampire if you see one." The professor noticed Brian and Sophia's alarmed expressions and added, gently, "Oh don't worry you'll be perfectly safe in the bar, I'm just warning you as…as a precaution. If you need help just ask for Tom the barman, a lovely fellow. Now, will you be ok?"

Colin nodded, his mind preoccupied with imagining what a hag looked like. The professor approached Brian and shook his hand, enthusiastically, thanking him for teaching him how to read a map. Brian looked thrilled that he had helped a wizard with something and beamed back. He then kissed Sophia's hand unable to reach her cheek and she laughed at the sight. He kindly promised her that she could write to him whenever she wanted if she needed anything whilst Colin was at Hogwarts. Lastly he turned to Colin, patting his arm, "I look forward to seeing you at Hogwarts, Colin. I sense that you will be a good Charms student."

"Thank you, professor," he answered before adding, "and have a good holiday sir!"

"Ah yes, I'm off to the Greece, though I must be careful to avoid the Manticores, apparently the population is growing," he made to cross over the threshold of the front door, which Sophia held open and halted, abruptly, exclaiming, "Ah I almost forgot!"

Pulling another letter out of his swirling cloak he said, "In here is your ticket for the Hogwarts Express, which leaves from King's Cross Station on the first of September. I will write back to Professor McGonagall, informing her that you have received your Hogwarts letter. Goodbye Colin, see you very soon," the professor shook his hand, vigorously and spun around, heading off into the black night. Before shutting the door Colin thought he heard a faint pop in the distance and squinted into the darkness to see what it was. Nothing. Professor Flitwick had disappeared just as quickly as he had come.

OOO

In the snug comfort of his bed that night he was finally allowed to be alone with his thoughts and so his imagination took hold of him as he tried to visualise Hogwarts and the other students. He wandered vaguely if there would be any others who didn't know that they were magical until now. If there was anyone who had grown up with…what was that word? Moogles or something. He hoped he wasn't the only one but he wouldn't worry too much about it. His head was already too jumbled up. He still couldn't quite believe what had happened to him. When he had woken up that morning he had thought of himself as the small-boned, mousey-haired Colin Creevey. Now, as he lay in his single bed, listening to the comforting sound of his brother's steady breathing he was still small-boned and mousey-haired but he was also a wizard.


	5. Bat Spleens, Galleons and Mr Ollivander

_**'Ron, you really are the most insensitive wart I've ever had the displeasure of meeting'**_** – Hermione Granger, Order of the Phoenix. I know its random and nothing to do with this chapter but I just love Ron and Hermione's relationship!**

"_**Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble-gum.**__**The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind.**__**The kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday." **_**– Baz Luhrmann, in his song "Sunscreen".**_  
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Chapter 5 – Bat Spleens, Galleons and Mr Ollivander 

Colin spent the best part of the following day pestering his mother endlessly on the topic of making the visit to Diagon Alley to buy his equipment for Hogwarts. Initially she had told him, defiantly, that they had the entire holiday to go, that it wasn't like the place would disappear but when Colin wouldn't stop talking about it she had finally given in.

"Oh, alright alright we'll go on Friday, I'm due a day off work anyway," she told him, exasperated.

"Awesome!" Colin was about to run up to his room and read over his equipment list for the thousandth time when a sudden thought came to him and he exclaimed, "No!"

"What do you mean, no, you've been going on about this for…"

"Dad will have work on Friday won't he, can we go Sunday instead?"

Sophia shut her eyes for a moment, wishing her son hadn't just asked that question, "Oh, Colin, it was just going to be you and me. Your father has already explained to me how to get to this Diagon Alley. That's ok isn't it?"

"But I want dad to be there," Colin answered plainly.

Sophia got up from the kitchen table and pretended to busy herself with chopping up some vegetables when really she was just unable to look at the hurt in her son's eyes as she said, "Colin, you know your dad and I aren't together anymore. We aren't going to be taking you out on trips like we used to but it'll be fun, you and I won't it?" she tried to seem bright but her voice caught in her throat, sounding bittersweet and hopeless.

"Can't he come mum, just this once?" Colin pleaded.

His mother shook her head without even considering Colin's request and her voice rose, impatiently, "I've said no and I mean it!"

"It's not fair!" Colin shouted back, childishly and fled from the kitchen before his mother could reply. He ran up to his bedroom and slammed the door with haste, flinging his tiny figure onto the bed. He was glad that Dennis was out playing with his friends in the street and wasn't here to witness the tears pouring from his elder brother's eyes.

With the confusion of last night's events his parent's separation hadn't entered his mind once until now. Clearly even magic couldn't keep it away forever though.

OOO

"Colin, come on its time to get up if we're gonna get the nine o clock train," he woke on Friday morning to his mother's soft tones and jumped straight out of bed. Colin had never been one for needing ten minutes to wake up; he was always raring to go. In fact he hardly ever needed sleep. As a baby he had cried endlessly through the night, as a child he had jumped on his parents' bed at five o'clock every morning and now, as all of his classmates began to enjoy lying in at the weekends, he continued to get up as early as he could.

His mother watched him with raised eyebrows as he shovelled cereal down his throat and gulped his orange juice.

"You don't need to make yourself throw-up, we do have some time," she laughed, incredulously.

"I know bu," his mouth was so full that he couldn't get his words out properly, "I wanna go early case id take long."

They were out the door less than fifteen minutes after Colin had woken. Dennis had brought with him his new favourite toy; a harmonica and its unbearable screeching sound filled the car until Sophia couldn't take it anymore and confiscated it from Dennis. He sulked in silence until they reached their Grandmother's house (and the house where their father was residing) in the lively town of Newquay, where Dennis would stay whilst Colin and his mother went to London. Forgetting instantly about the harmonica Dennis ran straight into his grandmother's frail arms. The two of them waved cheerily until Colin and his mother disappeared from view around the sharp bend.

Colin had forgiven his mother. He still hated the fact that his father wasn't coming to London too but he understood now why it was not possible. And so the boy and his mother passed the rest of the journey to London, including the lengthy train ride, playing their favourite game. As always, Colin's favourite house was a spectacular mansion, which stood on the outskirts of London, topped proudly with turrets and scattered with dozens of windows. Sophia chose a fairy-like cottage which nestled comfortably amongst fluffy bushes and short, stout trees.

"Wow!" Colin burst out, excitedly as the two of them disembarked the train at London's Waterloo Station. The scene was one of awe - thousands of people filled the space, all utterly different in appearance and attitude. There were brief-case laden men who rushed all over the place, graceful women wearing sunglasses who swept the floor with their long, glamorous coats, stubborn children refusing to hold their parents' hands in the busy throng of people, curious tourists with over-sized back packs and cameras dangling round their necks. He had only been to London once in his life and he hadn't one memory of it, having only been about three years old. He was sure he would never forget this though.

"Oh that reminds me," a group of back-packers had just sauntered past, snapping photos and he pulled his own camera out of his bag.

"Colin, what're you doing, this is only a train station, nothing interesting," Sophia stood a metre in front of her son, her hands glued to her hips.

"But it's so cool, I've never seen anything like this!" he balanced on a bench, taking long shots of the bustling station.

"If there's such thing as a wizard photographer that is definitely what you're gonna be when you grow up," she ruffled his hair as he reached her side.

OOO

"This is Charring Cross, isn't it?" the pair stood, back to back on the corner of a busy, cobbled street. The huffing of the huge red buses and the frantic beeps of car horns filled their ears as they tried to look for a street sign.

"I don't…wait there!" A long stretch limousine had just moved out the way to reveal an old, scratched sign which unmistakably read "Charring Cross Road".

"Well it's got to be here somewhere then. Your father said it was next to a big book shop," Sophia craned her neck, trying to see all the way down the street.

Colin started off at a run, calling over his shoulder, "Then let's look for a bookshop. Come on!"

"Colin wait I'm old and I don't run I walk with haste!"

"Shut up mum," he giggled, "this isn't the time to walk with haste, we're going to a wizard's street!"

"Oh fine," she raced after her son, laughing a little too "but I know I'll pay for this later, my poor legs!"

They passed estate agents and fancy restaurants, bright crisp shops and run-down ones. An endless string of people came at them in the other direction but not one of them so much as glanced at the sprinting pair, as people would have done in one of the quiet towns around Colin's home. London was indeed an exhilarating place.

Colin halted, abruptly so that his mother nearly ran into him but gripped his shoulders tightly to stop herself.

"Don't just stop without some sort of warning!" she composed herself.

Colin ignored his mother and pointed across the road from where they were standing, "There."

His arm was stretched in the direction of a grotty-looking pub, with a haphazard sign swinging over the door which read "The Leaky Cauldron". On one side of the building stood a large book shop, just like his father had said and on the other there was a record shop. It was strange. The passers- by seemed unable to see it. A young-looking man and woman went from peering into the book shop to exclaiming, in delight at the record shop and entering the latter. He made to cross the road, when his mother stopped him.

"What are you talking about? That place looks closed, look at all those danger signs. Anyone who goes in there's just begging to die," his mother's words triggered the memory of what Professor Flitwick had told him last night.

"Oh yeah, you can't see it, remember. The professor said it's only visible to magic people. It's not dangerous mum, it's a pub, I promise."

"So, you see it as a pub?" she queried, following him across the road when the traffic had come to a standstill.

"Yeah, it's called the Leaky Cauldron."

When they were right outside the building they stopped for a moment, Colin gazing up at the place in awe and Sophia regarding it, quizzically. Colin noticed something that he hadn't before. While the rest of the crowd moved up and down the pavement, a man stood against the wall of the record shop, his face hidden behind a newspaper. But he recognised something about the man's stature. He was positioned at a jaunty angle and a head of short, black, curly hair stood atop some very bushy eyebrows…

"Are you positive this is right Colin, I'm telling you it doesn't look safe in there," Sophia stood with a long, graceful hand shielding the sun from her eyes as she looked up at the pub.

At the second she spoke the man jolted and appeared from behind the newspaper quickly. Colin nearly choked on nothing.

"D-dad!" he spluttered, "What're you doing here?"

"Well it turns out someone else could stand in for me at work and, well, I couldn't miss this could I?"

An ecstatic smile spread across Colin's cheeks and up into his eyes as he ran, full pelt at his father, knocking into him with a wild embrace.

"Oomph," Brian Creevey grunted as his son collided with him, "One of these days you're actually gonna knock me over doing that. How would you feel of you injured an old man ay?"

Colin rolled his eyes, "For the last time, neither of you are _that_ old. You're just quite old." He added, cheekily turning to his mother too.

But Sophia didn't smile. She was staring, stonily at Brian, her blue-grey narrowed like slits. It looked all wrong. Her pretty, shining face was no longer lit-up with liveliness but puffed up and angry. She moved a few steps backwards as though she needed to get as far away from Brian as possible.

"Why are you here?" she asked, harshly.

"Oh come on, Sophia you can't stop me from being with Colin when he buys his school stuff for the first time. He'll be going away soon; I need to see him while I have the chance,"

Sophia swallowed as her expression changed from one of anger to one far worse. She seemed to be in great pain. Her voice was slightly shaky as she spoke, "You're right, of course you are. I know it's not long 'til he goes. I'm sorry I'm just…"

"Its fine, come on let's just go," Brian rushed, his voice short.

Colin led the way into the Leaky Cauldron, his parents following, uneasily. He pushed open the heavy, dank-green door to reveal the most peculiar place he had ever laid eyes upon. He had certainly never seen a pub like this before. It was dark and grimy, with a mixture of sweet-smelling smoke and liquor interrupting the air. Most of the tables were occupied; around one sat five old women, drinking large tankards of something and cackling loudly. At another sat a man and woman, both of who were staring transfixed at a smoke-filled, glass ball floating a few inches off of the table. In the far corner was a hooded figure that was quite possibly dead for the amount it was moving. A thin, scrawny cat, blood-red in colour sat on the table with him and was staring right at Colin himself. He decided to avoid the figure like Professor had warned. Then again he was equally wary of the cackling women. Their laughing was already getting on his nerves as it rang through his head.

"'Scuse me Mr," a young woman with tight affro curls and a strong Yorkshire accent barged passed him. Dirty tankards and plastic plates sat on a tray which floated a few inches in front of her face. She pointed something that he supposed was her wand at a nearby table and the crockery immediately zoomed towards her, landing perfectly on the tray. Colin heard his mother make a choking sort of sound in disbelief.

Staring around he wondered what he should do. He was reluctant to ask for help from fear of looking stupid. He supposed he would have to talk to the barman. It seemed the safest option anyhow.

Just as he was about to step forward and approach the bald, toothless man behind the crusted bar when someone tapped his shoulder lightly. He whirled around, thoughts of the eerie man and his cat still on his mind but to his great relief saw a boy grinning back at him. He was quite tall with charcoal hair and dreadlocks. Draped around his neck was a bright red and yellow scarf but apart from that he looked relatively normal, dressed in baggy blue jeans and a plain t-shirt. Colin would guess that he was a couple of years older than him but he wasn't sure.

"Hi there, you look lost?" he spoke with an air of cool ease.

"Yes!" Colin gushed, "I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. I'm sort of new to all of this."

"Ah don't worry, you're not alone. One of my mates is muggle-born see; he spent an hour trying to tap that wall out there with an old stick he found. I laughed for days when he told me."

Colin chuckled and asked, "So can you help me?"

"Of course. I'm Lee by the way, Lee Jordan," the boy added.

"Oh, well I'm Colin Creevey and this is my mum and dad," he indicated to his parents who stood, awkwardly behind him.

"Hi there Mr and Mrs Creevey," he held out a hand to shake. They accepted it in turn, each murmuring their greetings.

"Thank you ever so much for helping us dear. We really had no idea what we were doing," Sophia smiled in thanks but Lee shrugged it off, saying it was no trouble.

"Just a sec, I'll go and get my folks, they'll have to open Diagon Alley for us 'cause, obviously I can't do magic out of Hogwarts,"

"What, you go to Hogwarts?" Colin stopped Lee, who was just in the act of walking away.

"Course, best school there is, especially with Dumbledore as head teacher!" he called over his shoulder and carried on towards the bar. Approaching a couple who were dressed in exceptionally odd attire he waved, amiably at the toothless barman and returned to Colin's side.

"Colin, these are my parents, Janice and Buster."

"Hi!" was all Colin could think to say as he took in the couple's strange outfits. Janice was dressed head to toe in tartan, including the woolly tartan scarf which was wrapped around her head. Her husband wore a golden, sparkling top, knee-high boots and…a dressing gown. Something about the abnormal dress sense seemed familiar to Colin but he couldn't quite place it.

"Good day there," Buster Jordan was as laid-back as his son and Colin just knew he would make even the most up-tight of characters unwind, "Lee said you were Colin. So what was it like to find out you were a wizard? Bet it was a shock for you," he turned to Colin's parents as he uttered the last sentence.

Sophia nodded politely, apparently as astonished at the strange clothes as Colin was, "I didn't know what to make of it."

"Yes it was quite a surprise; we didn't even know wizards existed!" Brian piped up.

As the men chatted, Lee led the group out of the cramped pub and into a walled courtyard, which held nothing but a dustbin and a few overgrown weeds. Buster swept his wand out of the pocket of his dressing gown and began muttering to himself, all the while sweeping his fingers over the bricks on the wall. Eventually he seemed to pick out one in particular and touched it with his wand. Immediately it began to wriggle and a small hole appeared in its centre. Colin turned to look at his mother who was watching with a mixture of admiration and alarm. By the time he turned back an entire archway had formed, large enough for everyone to fit through. Beyond the archway lay a twisting, cobbled street.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Lee said, "Even I thought so when I first saw it and I grew up with dishes that wash themselves and magic carpets and stuff."

"It's…unbelievable," Colin uttered in response.

The Jordan's walked confidently into the alley and so Colin grabbed his parents' hands and followed eager to explore. Everywhere he turned his eyes widened more. People in long, billowing cloaks rushed in all directions, a group of children were gathered, excitedly around a man who held a sleek broomstick in his hands, owls hooted overhead and the constant ring of bells filled the air as people entered and exited shops.

Lee spoke and he reluctantly pulled his eyes away from the awe-striking scene, telling himself he would go back to it in a moment, "So we'll leave you here if that's alright, I've got to rush and get my school stuff. Off to a Quidditch match later – the Wimbourne Wasps verses the Appleby Arrows, it's gonna be a close one! Anyway you'll find everything you need for school here in Diagon Alley but you better go to Gringotts first; the shopkeepers won't accept muggle money!"

"Gringotts?" Colin questioned.

"The wizard bank, its right at the end of the street," Lee pointed straight ahead, "You can get your money changed there. I'll see you at school Colin," he shook each of the Creevey's hands in turn, just as he had done upon greeting them and ambled off in the direction of a store named _Potages Cauldron Shop_.

His father said, "Goodbye then, nice meeting you!" before trailing after his son. Janice remained fixed to her spot of the pavement and spoke after a moment's pause, her voice shy and uncertain,

"Errrm it was lovely to meet you."

"And you too," Sophia smiled warmly.

Janice looked desperate to ask a question but something was holding her back. She made to turn and shadow her family but shook her head and spoke, a little more confidently, "Do I look like a presentable muggle? Would you wear this Mrs Creevey?" she fingered the tartan scarf, uncertainly.

"Of course, dear, you look lovely" Sophia smiled again and Janice, looking satisfied, turned and left them without another word.

"They were pleasant weren't they? You're gonna be just fine at Hogwarts Colin, I know it. Now come on we'd better visit the bank like they said," Brian pointed up the winding alley in the vague direction that Lee had indicated and Colin didn't need telling twice. He set of at a brisk pace, desperate to see anything and everything. As he did so, he whipped his camera out of the bag dangling from his neck and began snapping in all directions

They passed the cauldron shop, with self-stirring cauldrons sat behind the dusty window and on its other side an apothecary's with an advertisement for a discount on dragon's liver. There was a shop filled with screeching owls, a shop with fancy-looking broomsticks on display and a shop stacked high with thick books. A man with a long, curly brown beard was shouting "Bat spleens for ten sickles an ounce, come and get ya bat spleens!" and another was testing out a new model of telescope for a wide audience outside _Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment_. Robes from shimmering blues to fiery reds stood in the window of _Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions_. The entire street was like a figment of a child's imagination, something from their wildest dreams except he didn't think any child could dream something like this up, it was too…weird.

All of a sudden they came to a standstill outside a snowy-white building which peered down at the other shops, menacingly. A giant in a street of dwarfs.

"Gringotts," Colin stood looking up towards a plaque above the vast, bronze doors, his voice ringing with awe at the place. He grabbed his parents' hands once more and led them inside.

Before they had even crossed the threshold, his mother screamed and Colin knew why straight away. A tiny man had scurried past them, his elongated head ending in a pointed beard. He had stretched fingers and feet and a devious look about him when he smiled, revealing a set of yellow, jagged teeth. His smile changed into an offended grimace, however when Sophia screamed, as did all the expressions of all the others' which were stationed behind a long, high counter. Hundreds of beady eyes were fixed on the Creeveys for a fleeting moment before they went back to business, scribbling on long rolls of parchment or examining strange-looking objects.

Colin noticed that his mother was quivering slightly and seemed reluctant to approach the creatures. His father on the other hand had a determined look about him and, without a word to either of them marched up to the nearest free desk and cleared his throat loudly. They had no choice but to follow.

"Errrm, excuse me sir," the creature looked up, a grumpy expression clouding his sharp features, "Could we exchange our money for wizard's currency please?"

"Very well," was all it answered stretching out a hand, lined with razor-like nails. Colin noticed that his father was careful to drop the notes of money quickly and withdraw his hand before any harm could come to it.

The creature disappeared from view for a moment but returned with surprising haste and thrust a mixture of gold, silver and bronze coins at them. Brian swept them, neatly into his wallet. Colin wandered how much each one was worth. He didn't think he felt safe asking the creature, however seeing as it was giving him a look that said "I'm about to scratch your eyes out".

Brian exclaimed, cheerily, "Goodbye, have a brilliant afternoon!" but the creature simply continued to stare at back, icily and so the Creeveys exited with haste, leaving Gringotts Wizarding Bank in their wake.

Time seemed to speed by as Colin led his parents in and out of the different shops, fumbling their way through all the strange products to find what they needed. In _Madame Malkin's_ he was fitted for his black school robes, in_ Flourish and Blott's_ he had just bought the long list of text books he need when the trio were ambushed by an loud man with wavy blond hair and too-white teeth which he bared in a smile that made Sophia blush and giggle stupidly. Introducing himself as "Gilderoy Lockhart" he thrust a signed copy of his autobiography "Magical Me" into Colin's over-laden arms and scurried off, apologising that he had to have some photographs taken for a newspaper. They worked steadily through his equipment list which, by now was crinkled and creased as though he had picked it out of a waste bin.

His parents even agreed to Colin getting a pet to take with him to Hogwarts. He decided what animal he wanted immediately upon entering the _Magical Menagerie_. In a metal cage, placed in the very heart of the room was a tiny kitten. It scratched its way up the steel bars with determination, slid back down and began climbing once more. But this wasn't what got Colin's attention. No, it was the fact that every now and then the cat would change colour starkly. When he had first seen it, it had been a pale shade of blue. Now, as Colin walked out of the shop, cat cage tucked under his arm, the creature was a violent shade of yellow, brighter even than a sunflower at its peak.

"Is that everything?" Sophia leant on the wall of the _Magical Menagerie_, looking exhausted.

"All that's left is a wand," Colin answered, feeling the excitement build up inside him. This was the thing he had been most looking forward too. Perhaps even more so than seeing Diagon Alley.

Sophia left the comfort of the wall with reluctance to join the other two, who were searching in every direction.

"There!" Brian said, finally, looking pleased with himself for discovering something, "It's over there. Ollivanders or something."

A moment later they entered the confined and somewhat shabby shop to the faint tinkle of a bell. Colin felt his mouth drop at the sight. Thousands of little boxes were stacked one on top of the other on shelves which lined the shop, stretching easily up to the ceiling. The place was dark and dank but held a definite air of mystery, right down to the echoing of the ringing bell which was tainted on his mind.

"Good day, I am Mr Ollivander," a soft, mellifluous voice spoke and, for a second he wholly believed it came from the air itself. He was proved wrong, however when an old, crotchety man stepped out of the shadows. His eyes, which Colin had taken to be an actual light shone like tiny silver orbs and gave the impression that the man could see his deepest secrets.

"Hello, I errr…I need to buy a wand," Colin said, a little uneasily.

The man continued to observe Colin, treating his parents like they didn't even exist, "Then you have come to the right place. We will find the perfect wand for you or rather it will find you, Mr…?"

"Creevey," Colin finished Mr Ollivander's sentence before adding, "and what do you mean 'it will find me' how can wands _find_ people."

"The wand choses the wizard Mr Creevey, that is always the case," he explained, before pulling a long tape measure with odd silver markings to match his eyes from his pocket and measuring random parts of Colin's body. After a moment Mr Ollivander disappeared and left the tape measure to do the job itself, re-appearing only when he had filled his arms with some of the little boxes, "Here you go," he handed an auburn-coloured stick, crooked in several places to him.

Colin simply stood there, his eyes flickering towards his parents who looked as perplexed as he felt. What was he supposed to do?

"Go on Mr Creevey, give it a wave," Mr Ollivander swished his arm upwards, indicating what he had to do.

Colin obliged. Nothing happened. Before he could think any more about it Mr Ollivander had grabbed the auburn wand from his hand and thrust another, shorter one towards him. He swished it upwards as he had done before but most definitely did not achieve the same result. Instead of the dusty air remaining unnervingly silent an ornate glass box which had been sitting on the counter smashed into a million pieces, causing Sophia to scream and Brian to jump with such violence that he tripped over a chair and almost landed face down on the floor.

"Most definitely not!" Mr Ollivander snatched the wand hurriedly from Colin, as though it was a dangerous object, "Try this one."

This time Colin was wary as he waved the wand, which felt lighter than the last one he had tried but heavier than the first. It was an average brown in colour – not anything special. His hand fit comfortably around the bottom, just underneath a ridge, as though it had a built-in handle. As soon as he flicked it he expected the vase of flowers on the window sill to shatter or the shelves to collapse but neither happened. Instead the ornate birds which decorated a sideboard came miraculously to life and flew around the room once before settling back down.

"Are my eyes playing tricks on me or did you just make an ornament fly?" Brian was staring in awe at the wand which Colin gripped, like it was a rare object and worth a fortune.

Mr Ollivander answered before Colin could open his mouth, "Your son did just do something quite extraordinary, usually people just make the flowers grow or the room clean. Though I must say that isn't what surprises me most."

"What else surprises you, Mr?" Colin asked, politely, now very aware of Mr Ollivander's silvery and slightly creepy eyes which were fixated on his wand.

"Well it is unusual for someone to find their wand so quickly. Normally it takes many more tries. For the girl in here before, you it took twenty seven," he explained.

"So this is my perfect wand then?" Colin had to make sure. The last thing he wanted was to have the wrong wand and not be able to do any spells. Though he still couldn't picture himself actually doing magic, whatever wand he had.

"Without a shadow of a doubt. That's a fine wand, Mr Creevey, 10 and a half inches, beautifully pliable, made of sycamore wood and unicorn hair. Brilliant for charm work," Mr Ollivander told him, matter-of-factly and shuffled behind the counter, "That will be seven galleons."

Colin handed the money over (by now he had learnt that galleons were the big, gold ones) and the Creeveys made to leave the shop. Half way out the door Colin whirled around. A question he had been meaning to ask came back to him.

"Sir?"

"Yes, Mr Creevey?" Mr Ollivander said.

"What are the creatures that work in Gringotts?" he would have felt foolish asking anyone else but he was sure Mr Ollivander wasn't the type to laugh at his expense.

"They would be the goblins. You must never mess with a goblin, Mr Creevey, they are infuriatingly intelligent creatures and people often underestimate them," the old wand maker explained, before turning his back on Colin and wandering deeper into his shop.

OOO

The journey home felt strange for Colin. They all sat on the train together and his parents talked to him with excitement and happiness but they didn't address one another once. It was like a normal family at the end of a day out except horribly warped. Still nothing could taint the day he had. He would never forget his first glimpse of the wizarding world.

**So, Colin has finally had his first encounter with the world of magic! Just wanted to say my usual thank you for reading my story, hope you guys liked this chapter. Keep your eyes out for the next one…**


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